Transcript

Hi. This is Professional Innovation Catalyst Toni Newman and I would like to welcome to this very first episode of The Innovation Advantage Podcast series – podcasts that will show you how to use innovation and customer experience to drive more customers, more revenue and more growth in your business.

Over the course of this series we’re going to cover a whole range of innovation and customer experience related topics. We’re also going to chat about differentiation and how to stand out in today’s crazy marketplace and some days,  we’re just going to talk about the basic of being in business.  The challenges, the realities, the everyday questions and conversations that all of us need to want to not only to survive but to thrive in today’s highly competitive and increasing commoditized marketplace.

But for this first episode, I’d like to do what I think is an essential reality check. I mean let’s face it.  Between you and me?  The rules of the marketplace haven’t just changed. They’ve disappeared. And while how business is being done around the world has been imploding with transformation change, many business leaders that I run into still truly believe that the secret to growing their business is more about being better than it is about being different.

And although many of those same organizations talk the innovation talk,  they walk the continuous improvement walk. What other explanation could there be for the fact that continuous improvement industry is worth billions of dollars?

But from  where I sit, Better simply isn’t good enough anymore. Better simply isn’t good enough anymore,

In fact, I believe that the only competitive advantage that any of us have left in today’s unpredictable and unforgiving marketplace is not just to be better.  It’s to be better and different.  In fact, we need to dare 2b different.

Not different for the sake of being different.  Strategically different. different in the ways that we create, demonstrate and deliver value to our customers.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that getting better isn’t important.  What I’m saying is that better isn’t enough to differentiate you from your competition anymore. Because when the best are competing with the best, being better doesn’t make you different.

Every morning your toughest competitors wake up determined to get better too.  And since there are really only so many ways to get better at something, there you all are. Treading water in a sea of sameness.  Same products, same services, same marketing, same business models, same same same same.

And although this may sound harsh , the reality is that Getting better isn’t a competitive advantage amymore.. It’s what our customers have every right to expect from us. It’s the price that we pay for the privilege of continuing to play in the sandbox that we call business. And although better keeps you in the game only daring 2b different will help you win the game.

Better is important. But Better alone isn’t enough to drive more customers, more revenue and more growth in your business.

Better needs different to work. Because together, better and different are an unbeatable team.  So today I would like you to ask yourself,

Are you better or are you different or are you both?

Because if all you are is one or the other

Then you need to get working on being one and the other.

And that’s what The Innovation Advantage podcast series is all about.  It’s not about getting better.  It’s about getting different.

There are lots of resources out there about getting better.  I can even suggest a few for you if that’s what you’re looking for.

But if you’re ready to truly think differently about how you can drive more customers, move revenue and more growth in your business, then this podcast series will be dedicated to helping you do just that.

It’s not going to be easy.  I’m going to ask you some tough questions and quite frankly, I don’t pretend to have all the answers.

I’m going to go out of my way to challenge some of the most basic assumptions just so that we can see what’s on the other side of them.

I am going to push, prod and maybe even provoke but most importantly, I’m going to show you and your team how to think differently, about how to drive more customers, more revenue and more growth in your business.

How to create innovative customer touchpoint experiences that will not only differentiate you from your competition but significantly increase the number of customers that you do business with.

And if any of that sound like it might be of value to you and your business, I hope that you’ll visit this Innovation Advantage podcast series often – that you will sign up for the series and take advantage of the tips, techniques and proven strategies that I’ll be sharing on how you can use innovation to drive growth in your business.

Of course, you can also visit our website at www.toninewman.com – check out our Innovation Advantage blog where you’ll find lots of other innovation and customer experience resources that can help you grow your business.  And while you’re there, why not sign up to become an Innovation Advantage Insider and received our exclusive offers, insights and opportunities that we only send to our Innovation Advantage Insiders family.

Because what if …

What if the only thing standing between where you and your business are today and where you have always believed you could be is the courage to let go of where you have already been.

My name is Toni Newman and until next time, Dare 2b Different and Imagine the Possibilities!